Rolen signs extension

The Reds and 3B Scott Rolen have restructured his contract and have extended him for two more guaranteed seasons. Rolen’s new contract will pay him $23.625 million through the 2012 season with a $5 million signing bonus that is deferred over the next three seasons without interest. He was originally expected to earn $11 million in 2010 but will now get $6 million in 2010, $6.5 million in 2011 and $6.5 million in 2012.

The move seems to provide the Reds more payroll flexibility for next season while giving the 34-year-old Rolen the extra two years of security.

Here are more contract details:

Rolen can earn the following bonuses:

$25,000 per All-Star selection$50,000 for Gold Glove$50,000 for Silver Slugger$200,000 for MVP$50,000 for Division Series MVP$100,000 for LCS MVP$150,000 for World Series MVP

The no-trade clause Rolen had from his old contract extends through the new one.

Rolen also gets access to a suite on the road.

Having Rolen for two extra years brings a few questions.

1. What happens with 3B prospect Juan Francisco? Does this mean Francisco is a left fielder of the future now? Could he be a trade chip?

2. Given Rolen’s age and injury history, is this a risky move adding on two more years? He will be 37 when the new contract ends.

Feel free to reflect and respond…

4:25 pm update: The Reds confirmed the signing.

“Scott’s signing is an indication of his feelings toward the club and the direction we’re taking,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement. “He wants to stay here, and hopefully he can end his career as a Red.”

When I read about the new contract, my first thought was that restructuring made Rolen trade-able, which he wasn’t at $11 million. The team and he talk about his ending his career as a Red, but I fould myself wondering if he has a no-trade clasue in his new contract. If not and the Reds are 10 games out at the trade deadline next year …

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